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NEW FOR MONDAY: Air Show Acts To Fly Further North This Year

OCEAN CITY — Resort business leaders this morning got an update on the 2012 Ocean City Air Show, including a plan to extend many of the show’s flyovers to the north end of town.

Ocean City Air Show Director of Sponsorship and Hospitality Sales Steven Webster on Monday morning presented an update to the Ocean City Economic Development Committee (EDC) on the 2012 event, set for June 9-10 in Ocean City. Webster confirmed the signature act for 2012 will be the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and told resort business leaders the U.S. Navy Blue Angels have committed for the 2013 event.

Webster also told EDC members because of ongoing economic concerns, the U.S. service groups such as the Air Force and Navy are cutting back somewhat on their demonstration teams, but there are several private sector demonstration teams stepping up to fill the void.

For example, the private sector Black Diamond Jet Team will be an integral part of the 2012 Ocean City Air Show.

The addition of private sector acts and the expansion of the event overall has led to a new wrinkle in the air show plans that will likely include more of the resort in the annual event.

When air show organizers approached Carousel Resort Managing Partner Michael James about providing more rooms for entertainers and their crews, James told them he would be glad to help but the event is largely a south-end Ocean City event.

As a result, event organizers are planning to expand the flyover areas for the various entertainment teams to north Ocean City this year. Webster told EDC members in past years, the various jet teams and entertainers have used the Route 90 bridge as a landmark for their turnaround point during the show, but this year will head further north and use the Carousel as a landmark for the turnaround point.

The Carousel is essentially the last in a long series of high rise condominiums in the north end and the various demonstration teams will fly over the Carousel and beyond before returning to the main demonstration area downtown.

Webster explained the Ocean City Air Show has a five-mile section of air space available during the event and extending the flyovers to the north end should not present any problems or significant changes in the event. However, the north end area will likely be used only for flyovers and a return point with no acrobatics planned for the north end.

The proposed expansion of the flyover zone for the 2012 Air Show comes after business leaders earlier this year formed the North Ocean City Business Alliance aimed at ensuring the often overlooked north end of the resort gets its fair share in terms of the marketing and promotion of special events in the resort.

For the complete story, see Friday’s print and online editions of The Dispatch.